New anti-bullying strategy part of State Government’s public education “action plan”

EVERY public school teacher would be put through new training to identify and respond to student bullying under a wideranging public education blueprint unveiled by the State Government.

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EVERY public school teacher would be put through new training to identify and respond to student bullying under a wideranging public education blueprint unveiled by the State Government.

Trauma specialist schools, more special needs classes, and fast-tracking asbestos removal are also among a broad range of initiatives outlined in the Government’s public education “action plan”, to be released on Sunday.

The document, titled Your Child, Their School, Our Future, will underpin Labor’s rollout of education policies ahead of the March election.

It flags an expansion of the School Card system that exempts low-income families from school fees, with the full detail of that policy to be announced this morning.

The anti-bullying strategy, to be developed next year, would include “a universal training program to train teachers in public schools to know how to effectively identify and respond to bullying, including cyber-bullying and complex or persistent bullying behaviour”.

There would also be targeted grants for cyber-bullying programs “for schools in greatest need”, updated curriculum that “builds skills for respectful relationships”, student-led anti-bullying forums and more information for parents.

It comes after it was revealed this week that Government legislation progressing through Parliament would give the Education Department’s chief executive the power to force serial bullies to switch schools in extreme cases.

The blueprint promises to turn schools in 20 of the state’s “most vulnerable” communities into “specialist centres to deal with severe trauma and chronic stress in children”, as part of the Government’s response to the child protection Royal Commission. There will be “trauma-trained teachers for every school” and new training for staff in more violent schools dealing with aggressive parents, children with special needs and “challenging behaviour”. A new employee wellbeing program will provide “psychological health support for high-risk groups of staff”.

The document, which does not contain full policy details or costings, also flags:

■ EXPEDITED removal of “category 2” asbestos, which does not pose any immediate health risk, from about 100 schools.

■ MORE investment in foreign language education covering grants to trial new teaching methods, including online ones, a scholarship program to help disadvantaged high school students go on study tours, and more support for ethnic schools.

■ EXTRA funds for the SA Aboriginal Sports Training Academy to create new branches around the state.

■ UPGRADES to special schools, and more special classes and units in mainstream schools.

■ A MUSIC education strategy to be developed with Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

■ INVESTIGATING need for a new curriculum authority “to support our school improvement agenda”.

Many previously announced initiatives on new schools for the northern and southern suburbs, literacy and numeracy programs, STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), and others are also featured in the plan.

“We must go further to make sure we support the unique needs and aspirations of each individual child and young person,” Premier Jay Weatherill writes in it.

“Through this plan, we will build a state of competent, creative and confident children and young people who are ready for future opportunity and success.”